Louisiana families start looking for Christmas trees

INDEPENDENCE,LA (NBC33) — Louisiana Christmas tree sellers are gearing up for the post Thanksgiving rush, but some people are already grabbing their trees to beat the crowds.

Natasha Pittman and her family were on a mission get a Christmas tree, Sunday before the big crowds come after Thanksgiving.

"Usually when we come all the good one's are tagged so we wanted to come out and get one early before all the good ones are gone," Pittman said.

She visited Yawn Station Christmas Tree Farm in Independence to find her family's tree.

"I like to shop local. I don't like something that's been shipped in. I prefer something to support local families," Pittman said.

Yawn Station Christmas Tree Farm owner and Christmas tree farmer Joe Gersch said he's grateful for the support. He explained his goal is to keep the tradition of families coming out and picking and cutting down their own trees alive.

"A lot of our families will come out here and they may have three or four kids," Gersch explained. "They all try even though we have to finish cutting them down, but we let them all try."

Gersch said after thanksgiving his fields will be full of families all trying to find the perfect tree.

"After Thanksgiving is when most people traditionally in the South that's when you put your tree up," Gersch said. "Literally we can not cut down trees fast enough after the first two weeks to make everybody happy. "

Getting everyone in the family to select one tree can be difficult, Pittman said : "We all want something different. Some people want tall and skinny. some people want short and fat. We just all have to agree."

Gersch said no matter where you shop for your tree focus on the freshness of the tree.

"Freshness is probably the best thing. You don't want anything with a bunch of dead leaves in it, or limbs. You shouldn't have brown," Gersch explained.

Gersch says if you want to keep your tree green and gorgeous all holiday season long it's easy: keep it watered.

"Even if you don't put it up put it in water in a bucket. All this stuff you hear about adding aspirin, coke and sprite, and all this kind of stuff; a tree does not drink that a tree drinks water," Gersch stated.